Which Australian genus do you prefer, or want to grow?

Rory · Post by **Rory** » July 16th, 2016, 10:59 pm

I'm curious what the majority of members here prefer ...

Which common Australian genera do you prefer, or want to grow the most??

In particular, feel free to comment on which species in that genus you recommend and/or why.

Grainer · Post by **Grainer** » July 16th, 2016, 11:18 pm

I'd sooo love to have a great Bottle brush..mind u I did have a few banksias that were amazing at bonsai... but they got killed by someone

peterb · Post by **peterb** » July 16th, 2016, 11:25 pm

Hi Rory
I would very much like to have a go at some mels , the mels that pup puts up have really inspired me. I like the leptos as well but they sound a bit finicky for my time constraints

Rory · Post by **Rory** » July 16th, 2016, 11:46 pm

Top 3 genera for me, with preferred species choices would be:

Allocasuarina torulosa - Deeply fissured bark with naturally weeping foliage and shoots all over. Tolerates being worked on all year round.
Casuarina glauca - Aged bark, very hardy and shoots all over. Tolerates poor drainage. Tolerates being worked on all year round. Reasonable tolerance to strong shade.

Banksia integrifolia - Aged bark, leaves reduce well, fairly hardy and shoots all over.

Corymbia citriodora - Very strong fragrant foliage, reduces well, fairly hardy. Tolerates poor drainage. Tolerates being worked on all year round. Reasonable tolerance to strong shade.

Lane · Post by **Lane** » July 17th, 2016, 6:48 am

Three votes is not enough for me, I'm really getting into the natives!

Watto · Post by **Watto** » July 17th, 2016, 6:53 am

I am starting to get a bit hooked on the old bottlebrush and a bonus for these is the opportunity to dig them out of an old garden at times so there is already something to work with.

shibui · Post by **shibui** » July 17th, 2016, 9:24 am

I have a conflict with the wording of the question Rory. The ones I PREFER to grow are not the same as the ones I'd LIKE to grow. I prefer to grow the ones that I have found to develop well and behave as bonsai Ficus, Banksia, Callistemon and Mels. I'd really like to grow some of the more iconic genera - Eucs, Acacia - but so far having great difficulty with many of those so not spending as much time with them.

Grant Bowie · Post by **Grant Bowie** » July 17th, 2016, 9:25 am

Kunzea is quickly rocketing up my list of native favourites.

My usual suspects are Banksia and Leptospermum.

Grant

Rory · Post by **Rory** » July 17th, 2016, 10:02 am

shibui wrote:I have a conflict with the wording of the question Rory. The ones I PREFER to grow are not the same as the ones I'd LIKE to grow. I prefer to grow the ones that I have found to develop well and behave as bonsai Ficus, Banksia, Callistemon and Mels. I'd really like to grow some of the more iconic genera - Eucs, Acacia - but so far having great difficulty with many of those so not spending as much time with them.

Fair enough. I see what you are saying. I too didn't have a whole lot of success with acacia early on, so I only have 2 different species that I've bothered with now.

Eucs seem to be very temperamental. Some seem to go well, and others don't want to play ball. I have a few which are doing very well for tolerating bonsai conditions but I have no idea what species they are.

melbrackstone · Post by **melbrackstone** » July 17th, 2016, 1:56 pm

I put Kunzea as well, because I've seen some amazing examples on this forum. However, I don't believe I've ever seen one in real life....

maybe one day....

otherwise, Figs and Banksia are pretty reliable in my part of the world...

Callistemon Leps and Mels are on my to do list.

Edit: and Casaurina and Baeckea are in my "growing on" list.

treeman · Post by **treeman** » July 17th, 2016, 2:31 pm

I think maybe Callitris has no votes because of the question of styling. I think it has potential?

Pup · Post by **Pup** » July 17th, 2016, 2:48 pm

Interesting topic, I have put my preferences in. Having only 3 I have More than 10 species.
One thing that is interesting is Melaleucas and Callistemons.
Here in WA they are still seperate species. While in some states over there, they have amalgamated them.
So I did not put Callistemons in as I had Melaleucas, already.

Cheers Pup

Rory · Post by **Rory** » July 17th, 2016, 10:45 pm

treeman wrote:I think maybe Callitris has no votes because of the question of styling. I think it has potential?

Grant has posted an amazing thread on one that is beautiful.
Good to hear from you old friend. You should come on here more often.

I will have to give them a go I think. I have never tried my hand at them.
This thread is good because it might get me and others more motivated to expand our horizons.

Rory · Post by **Rory** » July 17th, 2016, 10:55 pm

Pup wrote:Interesting topic, I have put my preferences in. Having only 3 I have More than 10 species.
One thing that is interesting is Melaleucas and Callistemons.
Here in WA they are still seperate species. While in some states over there, they have amalgamated them.
So I did not put Callistemons in as I had Melaleucas, already.

Cheers Pup

I figured someone would bring this up, but I thought someone else would, before you pup.
I didn't group them as I have personally lost most of my Mels while my callistemons have flourished. It might be just a coincidence though, but it is definitely odd.

Until myrtle rust emerged I would have definitely included Mels in my top 3, but alas I have to go with what I grow.

As grant says...Kunzea are a genus that I really want to explore too, but the one specimen I am trialled has been hit with the rust too, that I am sadly losing faith in myrtacea in general. Though there are definitely some that are more resistant within the family.

I'll just have to get my Mel fix from viewing your updated threads pup....

For those who want to try kunzea, head to bonsai world at Jilliby where they are growing them, and most of the above genera too, for that matter.

Starfox · Post by **Starfox** » July 18th, 2016, 3:56 am

I only have one Aussie so far and that is a Callistemon so I chose that as well as Eucs and Mels but honestly I would love to try as many as possible as I love most native species anyway.

For me Callistemon is one of the best flowering trees/shrubs in the world, one in flower is nothing short of spectacular. The bark is quite lovely and it develops it's character early on too.
As for applying bonsai techniques then that is something I am still learning but after an initial scare with my Cally it has bounced back really well, other trees certainly would not of returned so healthy or at all.

I chose Eucs because they are such an iconic tree, maybe I'm homesick but I think they have a powerful identity and from the bonsai I have seen of them they do represent that.

Finally Mels, I love all Myrtacae as it is but the Mels that people have here and elsewhere are amazing. These trees definitely inspire me.

AusBonsai